Getty Center Museum
Location:
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Architect/Specifier:
Richard Meier
Poised over Los Angeles in the Santa Monica Mountains, the 110-acre Getty Center by Richard Meier & Partners has been described as "a modern Parthenon." Looking down from the complex, the buildings frame impressive views of the city, the surrounding mountains, and the Pacific Ocean. Inside, many of the museum galleries are lit with natural light, which the Getty Center describes as "one of [its] most important architectural elements." To manage the fierce Southern California sun, a system of Nysan roller and skylight shades from Hunter Douglas were installed throughout many of the buildings. Their clean, flat planes and fully integrated hardware meet the requirements Pritzker-prizewinner Meier's design philosophy, which calls for unadorned clarity of form. The dimensionally stable fiberglass fabrics ensure long-term functional and aesthetic performance.